The BBC has spoken out following Huw Edwards' guilty plea at court on Wednesday, insisting the former broadcaster "would have been sacked".
As his charges were read in court today, the 62-year-old pleaded guilty to three counts of making 41 indecent images of children.
The broadcaster has since stated it "learned the conclusion of the police process" as they emerged.
A spokesperson added: "Today we have learnt of the conclusion of the police process in the details as presented to the court.
"If at any point during the period Mr Edwards was employed by the BBC he had been charged, the BBC had determined it would act immediately to dismiss him. In the end, at the point of charge he was no longer an employee of the BBC.
“During this period, in the usual way, the BBC has kept its corporate management of these issues separate from its independent editorial functions."
A statement continued: "There can be no place for such abhorrent behaviour and our thoughts are with all those affected."
The BBC also insisted Edwards would have been sacked had he been charged while still working for the broadcaster.
Huw Edwards arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday
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The former BBC News star was accused of having dozens of photographs on WhatsApp, including seven of the most serious type.
He arrived at Westminster Magistrates' Court to hoard of paparazzi and protesters this morning for his first court appearance since being charged on June 26.
Edwards walked up to court from a neighbouring street on his own while flanked by police.
The offences were committed between December 2020 and August 2021.
The court heard that Edwards had been involved in an online chat with an adult man on WhatsApp between December 2020 and August 2021, who sent him 377 sexual images, of which 41 were indecent images of children.
The BBC has stated Edwards "would have been sacked" over the charges
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The indecent images that were sent included seven Category A, the worst, 12 Category B, and 22 Category C.
Edwards was arrested in November last year and charged last month, but the details of those developments and his court appearance today were kept under wraps by authorities until Monday.
Claire Brinton of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Accessing indecent images of underage people perpetuates the sexual exploitation of children, which has deep, long-lasting trauma on these victims.
“The CPS and the Metropolitan Police were able to prove that Edwards was receiving illegal material involving children via WhatsApp.
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Huw Edwards pleaded guilty to three counts of making 41 indecent images of children
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“This prosecution sends a clear message that the CPS, working alongside with the police, will work to bring to justice those who seek to exploit children, wherever that abuse takes place.”
It's now understood that a man who shared indecent images of children with Edwards was 25-year-old convicted paedophile Alex Williams, the Metropolitan Police said.
The force stated Williams pleaded guilty to possessing and distributing category A, B and C images as well as possessing prohibited images of children.
He had been given a suspended 12-month jail sentence at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on March 15.
Police said an investigation into Edwards began after a phone seized by officers as part of an unrelated probe revealed the broadcaster’s participation in a WhatsApp conversation.
